Stories of sunken machinery
Numerous stories of machinery sinking in swamps and lakes have survived in Latvia. Few of them are true.
The footage in it shows how a group of enthusiasts dig out a legendary soviet T 34 tank sunk in Pienava bog near Dzukste, Latvia at December 1944. By following stories and legends they found two tanks, one of them you can see in the video. After several hard days the tank was finally out. It had 43 cannon shells, machinegun`s discs and hand grenades inside but no remains of the crew. What`s most surprising - after several weeks of cleaning and minor repairs they got the engine working after more than 50 years spent in bog, as you can see in the end of the video. The tank as far as I managed to find out is now exposed in Museum of military vehicles near Daugavpils, Latvia
Rescue of a tank T 34 out of the Pienava bog, Latvia - YouTube
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Monument to Victims of the Christmas Battles in Pienava
Located in Tukums region, on the side of the A9 motorway, about a kilometer behind Pienava in the direction of Liepaja.
The memorial is erected on the site of the Third Battle of Kurzeme or the Christmas battles in 1944. At the end of World War II, a peculiar situation had developed in the territory of Latvia. There were German army forces in Kurzeme, which the Red Army tried to eliminate or prevent their involvement in the fighting in East Prussia or around Berlin. "Kurzeme Fortress" - the most common term to describe the battles in Kurzeme from 1944 to 1945. The "battles of Kurzeme" were the military action of the German army to repel the large-scale attacks of the Red Army. Latvian legionnaires also took an active part in the fighting in Kurzeme.
Today you can see the memorial site. The open countryside without the oldest buildings is a witness to the war.
Memorial Stone to Defenders of the Kurzeme Fortification
Located in Tukums region, on the side of the A9 motorway, 500 m from the turn to Lesteni in the direction of Riga.
The memorial site was established in 1991 near the Rumbu houses, in the vicinity of which there was active warfare. This is a tribute to the defenders of the "Kurzeme Fortress" who fought against the Red Army in World War II. The battles were significant because they temporarily stopped the Red Army's complete occupation of Latvia. About 300,000 Latvians emigrated, avoiding crimes against the civilian population by the Soviet regime.
At the end of World War II, a peculiar situation had developed in the territory of Latvia. There were German army forces in Kurzeme, which the Red Army tried to eliminate or prevent their involvement in the fighting in East Prussia or around Berlin. "Kurzeme Fortress" - the most common term to describe the warfare in Kurzeme from 1944 to 1945. The "battles of Kurzeme" were the battles of the German army to repel the large-scale attacks of the Red Army. The Kurzeme fortress ceased to exist shortly after the German capitulation.
Today you can see a place of remembrance and rest, which has been popular among Latvian legionnaires since the restoration of Latvia's independence.
Museum of military vehicles in Svente manor
The collection of military equipment is located next to the Svente Manor hotel, around 20 kilometres from Daugavpils. The exhibits on display include Soviet Army tanks: a T-34 medium tank, as well as IS-2 and IS-2M heavy tanks named after Stalin, BRDM-2 and BRDM-1 armoured reconnaissance vehicles, Jeep Willys and GAZ-67 military vehicles, self-propelled machinery, cannons and other pieces of equipment. This is the largest collection of tanks in the Baltic States.
Kurzeme fortress museum in Zante
The museum exposition (the only museum dedicated to the Kurzeme fortress) tells richly and engagingly about the course of warfare in the Kurzeme fortress and the future fates of Latvian soldiers. On the other hand, in the open-air exhibition, you can walk around and see the restored wartime trenches, bunkers and heavy military equipment.
Working hours:
Monday - Tuesday - closed
Wednesday - Saturday - 10:00 - 17:00
Sunday - 10:00 - 15:00
It is advisable to contact in advance by phone 29442311.
Memorial site for Hermann Faul
It is located at the crossroads of rural roads, turning off the road leading from Pienava to Džūkste.
Memorial to H. Faul, and to the nine German and Latvian soldiers who fell in the battle of 27 December 1944 (probably blown up by a direct hit from a cannon shell) and who are presumed missing since then, as no remains, documents or other evidence of their identity have been found.
Boat trip in Ciecere lake by the boat “Zezer”
During the ride with the recreational boat “Zezer” along Lake Ciecere near Brocēni you can listen to the audio guide and captain's stories about Lake Ciecere and the city of Brocēni on its shores, World War II events near Lake Ciecere, trenches on both sides of the lake and the Oak Island, as well as the tank route running along an observation tower and the tank that is said to be sunk in the lake. The audio guide is available in Latvian, Lithuanian, English, and Russian languages. The ride takes 1 hour 15 min.
